FAIR OAKS AND DARBYTOWN ROAD, Engagement at ( SECOND BATTLE or FAIR OAKS). On 27 Oct. 1864, General Grant began a movement on the Petersburg lines to seize the South-side Railroad, and as a sup port to the movement had ordered General Butler to make a demonstration north of James River on Richmond. Parts of three divisions of the Tenth Corps under General Terry, six of the Eighteenth Corps under General Weitzel and General Kautz's cavalry division, were designated for the movement. Terry was to make a demonstration along the Darbytown Road, under cover of which Weitzel was to push through White Oak Swamp to reach the Williamsburg road and seriously threaten Rich mond. The columns started from camps, near Chaffin's farm, very early on 27 October. Terry reached the Darbytown Road, a part of his command crossed over to the Charles City Road and advancing on both roads, a little before 8 A.M. engaged the Confederates in their en trenchments from the New Market Road to the Charles City Road. Weitzel, after a march of 16 miles, crossing both the Darbytown Road and Charles City Road, at 1 P. M. reached the Williamsburg Road at Heintzelman's old works, on the battlefield of 31 May 1862, and pushed at once down the road one and a half miles toward Richmond, and came upon the Confederate works which appeared to be feebly held by a small body of dismounted cavalry and three guns. Weitzel prepared to attack, first sending a brigade of colored troops across the York River Railroad to find and turn the Confederates' left near the New Bridge Road.
The defenses north of the James were held by General Longstreet, with the divisions of Gen erals Hoke and Field, some "local defense') troops under General Ewell, and General Gary's cavalry brigade. These were posted with ref erence to defense along the river roads. As soon as Longstreet detected Weitzel's movement he ordered Field's division to move to the left and it formed on either side of the Williams burg Road. It was 3.30 P.M. when Weitzel, with two brigades and others in support, advanced on either side of the road, over open ground, and was met with an unexpected heavy fire of musketry and artillery. His troops almost reached the works, but were repulsed with a severe loss in killed, wounded and missing. Soon after dark Weitzel withdrew after losing over 1,000 men. While Weitzel was engaged, Terry, at 4 P. id. was ordered to press his demonstration and carry the entrenchments. He made the attempt and was repulsed. On the next day the expedition returned to camp. The Union loss was 905 killed and wounded and 698 missing. The Confederate loss was com paratively small; Field's division and Gray's brigade reported 64 killed, wounded and miss ing. The entire loss probably did not exceed 100. Consult Humphrey, The Virginia Cam paign of